The Sum of All Nightmares
by Sophiacharlotte
Summary: Challenge fill from EnglishPoet18 to write about Fear. This is Carol with hints of Caryl. Set in the future Caryl
1. Chapter 1

An: hey this is for EnglishPoet18's challenge to write a story for any fandom but it had to be scary (or delve in the fears of characters) anyway this Carol with hints of Caryl (cause that's how I roll) let me know what you think

I do not own or profit from The Walking Dead

Zxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She couldn't breath.

The darkness enveloped her as she woke, her hands reaching out frantically to grasp for purchase. Hitting the walls around her that seemed to be closing in. It was so dark...her fear of small spaces amped her hysteria into full gear. As a trickle of dirt floated down from the ceiling.

Control your breathing she thought as she panted, there isn't much oxygen left to spare. Her head arched back, the oppressive pressure making it impossible to breath through her nose. Suffocating her.

Where was she? She desperately tried to think back. They'd been on a run, from the Safe zone. They'd encountered a group determined to steal their supplies and learn the location of the safe zone. Daryl had been the lead on the run, they'd focused on him. When he wouldn't break another in the group had. What was Daryl's weakness they asked. The answer had been clear...Carol.

He screamed in horror as they made him watch, they'd tortured her and then as though they had reached into her soul, delving in to find her very worst nightmare...they had decided to bury her alive.

She was buried alive she realized with a panic her hands coming up to pound on the top of the box. Dirt floated down slowly as though only mildly disturbed by her panic. She couldn't breath, the pressure in her head and her lungs was consuming her. She was panicking, they couldn't have picked something better for her. This was the summation of all her fears, this was her nightmare.

She couldn't move the box they had placed her in was so small, there was no way out. No knife either to end things she thought as she patted at her belt. She would die and turn, forever trapped underground. Her soul never put to rest.

She closed her eyes in defeat and despair. She'd given up on religion or so she thought, suddenly the idea of living as a walker trapped forever in this box had her in tears. If nothing else she deserved to be with her baby, and Daryl.

Ed's evil voice slipped into her consciousness. What makes you think you would be going to heaven anyway bitch?

It was as though he was in the box with her, stealing her precious oxygen, putrefying what was left with his rank breath. She closed her eyes refusing to listen.

Answer me bitch! He screamed in her ear.

"Because" she screamed in his face "Because I would have sacrificed my soul to protect the people I love. Because everything I have done has been for her and him" she screamed thinking of Daryl. "Because I'm human and I made mistakes and I'm sorry for them...because I will do anything to redeem myself." She whispered brokenly sobs coming.

It's okay momma.

The little voice in her head cleared the air, like a cool breeze that was comforting. It was as thought she was lying her head on her chest. She could smell the strawberry scented shampoo in her hair.

It's okay momma, we will be together...you just have one job left.

Her hand slipped down to an area beside her, feeling it. A long shard of wood. She felt along the edges bringing it up in front of her body.

You're right momma, you need to do it yourself. If you're not at peace you will be trapped her forever.

She took the wood opening her mouth. It was the only way she thought as she put the shard in her mouth, feeling the end tickling her soft palate. It was the only way.

Just do it momma.

She panted several times, trying to find the energy and the courage to do it. Just push it in, one hard jab, up and in and this will be over. Just do it! Her mind screamed. She was losing consciousness it had to be now. Just do it!

No, don't leave me.

His voice whispered through her mind, his eyes intense.

"Daryl" she panted "I can't ...I can't I'll be a monster forever..I.."

She paused the effort to speak draining her throat so unbelievably dry.

I'm coming for you, you keep going, don't give up.

His voice was more stern as the shard of wood fell out of her mouth. It didn't matter anymore. She was floating away, her body no longer obeying her commands as she became sleepy. She could have sworn she could still hear him screaming up above her as she drifted off to sleep.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Her eyes jerked open the sun's glare shinning down on her.

I'm dead she thought.

There was a mouth over hers pushing air into her lungs as someone pounded desperately on her chest.

She could hear the sound of an inhuman like wail. A pain so deep she wanted to sooth whomever was suffering. The voice was familiar to her, she knew it somehow.

No...no, the voice snarled in grief. Keep going. She felt the pounding on her chest and gasped yet again, pulling in air, all on her own, a fog lifting from her consciousness as Rick stared down at her. He was waiting in apprehension. She wasn't sure what for. Her eyes turned to the sounded of the wailing, and she saw him, beaten, bloody, looking almost defeated, as he was held back. They were all staring at her in apprehension...what were they waiting for? She was alive wasn't she? She would know if she wasn't.

She turned towards him yet again her arm stretching out towards him, her lips were cracked and dry, her throat raw but she managed one word, slipping past her lips.

"Daryl"


	2. Chapter 2

AN:hey this was always meant to be a oneshot but then I had an idea. This is a little dark for me. I'm warning you now and there is a trigger warning for torture and abuse. Let me know what you think :) thanks to Vickih and HaloHunter89 :)

I do not own or profit from The Walking Dead

Chapter 2

They couldn't break him, he was unbreakable. Nothing these assholes threw at him could be any worse that what he'd experienced in his life from his daddy, hell even from Merle. They couldn't break him.

Rick would come, he knew it, he didn't doubt it for one minute. These dumb assholes had surprised them on a week long run, in the middle of the night, at a safe house. Dumb fucks hadn't bothered to relocate. Cocky arrogant asshole, but they were sadistic.

The group he was leading was overdue already, by two days for return to the safezone, tomorrow Rick would be chomping at the bit to lead a rescue team, this would be the first place he looked.

He needed to hold on, his hands were tied above his head, pain seemed to wrack every part of his body. The blood on his back had dried, no longer flowing down in rivulets. They'd taken great enjoyment at opening the scars on his back when they saw them.

They hadn't let him sleep, he was slowly becoming delirious, but he had to hold on. His arms were cramped and stiff. Rick would come.

They wanted information on the safe zone, guard schedules, weaknesses in the wall. He wouldn't break. Even if it was only to protect her...Carol.

The longer they spent with him, the longer they forgot about Carol. He'd barely glanced her way. They didn't know...didn't know he was close to her.

He should never have let her come. She had been assigned to the clinic, and that's where she should have damn well stayed. Things had been strained between them, different. Everything was there, simmering beneath the surface, left unsaid. They needed to move forward. He needed her in his life in every possible way. He loved her. He should never have let her come, but she wanted a change of pace, and he couldn't deny her anything. Not when she smiled at him.

They couldn't break him, he would die before he would give them information, the longer they spent with him the more they forgot about her. Rick would come he thought as the sun broke through the windows

Xxxxxxxx

He heard them coming for him again a few hours later. The door swung open and they threw in that snivelling wimp Ethan. The safe zone had asked him to train. Daryl had hated him from the beginning. Something about the guy had been off. He was a fake, a phony, a pussy.

They knelt Ethan in front of Daryl. Asshole was barely keeping himself together, but something still felt off.

The leader placed a gun to the back of Ethan's head, who started whimpering.

"Alright dipshit...your the one who told me Dixon here was on the council, but seems we got a a tough guy...he doesn't wanna break. You're gonna tell us his weakness, or I'm gonna put a bullet through your head." The leader said.

Daryl seethed in rage he should have known, that asshole was the one who pinned him as being in charge. He watch Ethan's face and he knew, that asshole, he would tell them, but then something happened he didn't expect. Ethan's face changed, morphed from the whimpering dipshit to an evil mask as he started to laugh. Mother Fucker!

"No need to do that Mitch, he already suspects me...Carol...the grey haired one with the smoking hot body...that's his weakness." Ethan said as Mitch helped him up laughing.

No..no, this couldn't be happening. "I'm gonna fucking KILL YOU" he screamed.

"No..you're gonna watch while we have fun with your girl...unless you have something to tell us." Mitch said, grasping his hair and pulling his head back roughly before slamming his head back against the wall.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She wasn't coming easily that was for sure. He would have grinned if it didn't hurt so bad. The door to the room burst opened and they pushed her in, her hands were tied behind her back and the momentum made her stumble, and she fell knocking her face into the footboard of the bed in the room they were keeping him in.

He saw red, but his tongue so badly fresh blood seeped from his mouth. Maybe he could still get her out of this.

"You fucking wildcat bitch" Mitch said pulling her up in front of him. Mitch's eyes was visibly bruising. "I'm gonna enjoy a piece of you" he cackled groping at her breast.

That hand would get an arrow, Daryl thought or his fucking buck knife through it.

Carol reared back, and head bunted Mitch, with the back of her head. Mitch lip split open at the movement.

"Fucking Bitch!"

The door opened and another raider came in with a chair, they tied her to it.

"Alright Dixon...here is how it is gonna go..were gonna ask you our questions again..and if we don't like what you say...she pays the price." Mitch said.

He was watching her eyes, pleading with her eyes, to let him break...to let him tell them. He couldn't watch this, he started to feel like he was hyperventilating. She smiled at him and shook her head. "No...Judith." She said, Before they slapped her across the face.

She barely flinched. Her beautiful eyes holding his. They turned their attention to him, questioning him. For every question he didn't answer she suffered. She was bloody and beaten, her shirt torn off of her, but she didn't cry out. She barely made a sound. They couldn't break her.

Their attention on him her eyes would hold his. I love you, she mouthed the words to him, without making a sound. It was the best and worst moment of his life.

The knock to her head that knocked her out, was almost a blessing, until he saw what they were doing with her. The old house had a small crawl space, barely room enough to fit her.

"No don't.." He called out before he could stop.

Mitch turned to him, with a interested look on his face. "After everything I just did to her...this is what bothers you?...Ethan..hold up a minute. I think our Queen Bitch here don't like small spaces...I would hate for her to wake up...someplace worse...like buried alive." He said an evil grin on his face.

"No!..no!..no,!" he screamed rattling the bonds at his wrist. He could feel them cutting into his skin he didn't give a fuck. "No!" He screamed again as they carried her out of the room.

"I'd say when we have her buried she'd have what..an hour of oxygen maybe? I dunno...you'll have about an hour to decide if you want to talk" Mitch laughed patting Daryl's cheek.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rick had come, along with a rescue group he never doubted him. Ethan had gotten Daryl's buck knife to the head, Mitch to his hand.

"Where is she?" He'd growled as he twisted the knife pinning Mitch's hand to the wall.

Mitch had giggled almost hysterically "She's buried in the backyard...you killed her."

The group ran as the safe zone soldiers secured the raiders. He saw it immediately, the fresh grave, the shovels were still there. He started digging furiously.

Rick put a hand on his shoulder,"Brother you can barely stand..let me and Glenn."

Mitch was drug out of the house by the soldiers laughing "she's dead" he shouted "it's been to long" he cackled gleefully before a soldier knocked him out.

"No!no..no...no." Daryl's screams turned into an inhuman moan as he dropped to his knees to claw at the dirt with his hands and he felt Michonne and Tara hold him back.

He watched as they lifted her out, they hadn't buried her deep. He wanted to go to her, Michonne held him back "Let me go!" He screamed hysterically.

"She's not breathing Daryl" Michonne said as Rick and Glenn started CPR.

"This is crazy, she's gonna turn" one of the soldiers said.

"No..no keep going" he begged but Rick never wavered.

He heard the gasp, they all collectively held their breath. She turned towards him, those eyes, those beautiful blue eyes still there. She reached out her hand toward him, a small smile on her face. She was alive.

She looked like she wanted to reach out to him, comfort him. Her hand and fingers grasping in his direction, one word slipping past her lips.

"Daryl"


	3. Chapter 3

AN: so writer's block has been eating at me. Trying to get back in gear. This is the last chapter for this story. The first two parts were written before 5b so I tried to align them up somewhat. I hope you enjoy..it's a little fluffy angsty (the first two parts were dark) let me know what you think :)

Chapter 3

This had to end.

He was a patient in the clinic, his injuries far worse than hers. They'd been seperated almost immediately after her rescue, put in different vehicles, and raced back to the safe zone. Her eyes had held his as long as she could, his haunted, terrified eyes. She knew that look she'd seen it too many times, after Sophia, after Beth. He was taking on the guilt, the blame, like he had failed her in some ways. He was living his own nightmare.

He hadn't failed her, he'd been so strong...no one else could have held out so long. No one else would have survived. She understood that, their shared history connected them. It was as though everything in their lives, all the crap that life had thrown at them had been preparing them. For that moment. Preparing them to survive.

He hadn't failed her because he survived.

He couldn't see it that way though, she could read him so clearly. She'd almost smirked to herself when two days after their rescue she had wrenched herself from her bed to go to him and he'd refused to see her. Almost.

Her poor Pookie, he was so unsure of himself even now. They'd gone through their natural pattern after they'd arrived at the safe zone. Drifted apart, becoming entrenched in life and new responsibilities. She'd often felt like she was the moon orbiting around his earth. Sometimes she drifted farther away in her orbit but she was intrinsically tied to him, always drawn back in closer, always wanting to caress his face like waves drawn to the shore by the tide.

She'd told him she loved him, in that room. She'd been certain she was going to die and she would have done so, without hesitation if only just to save Judith.

He'd done that for her, and he didn't even know it. His acceptance without hesitation without even knowing her secrets, without knowing about Lizzie, had shown her the truth. He did know her, better than anyone else had her whole entire life. He didn't think she was going to hell, and she believed him.

Even in the box her fear hadn't been hell...it had been turning into a monster...being forever trapped. She'd known if she had managed to end things she would have been with Sophia. Ed didn't have that power over her anymore.

It was because of him, because he believed in her, she'd believed in herself.

When her act at the safe zone had been revealed she knew that most of the Alexandrians were not comfortable with her. She was an enigma to them because she was them. She was every one of the Alexandrians who were weak, but she'd changed. She'd gotten stronger she'd become someone she'd only dreamed she could be, she was a reminder to then of what they could be...she sensed it.

But she'd let a part of her soul get tarnished along the way. She wasn't going to do that anymore. Time to polish that tarnish away, time to live in the truth, time not to hold anything back.

She loved him and he loved her, she could no more stop herself from orbiting around him then he could stop himself from needing her to control his tides. They needed each other, and she wasn't running from it anymore.

His isolation had to end and she would end it. He'd spent enough time in guilt, she needed to show him that was over now.

She'd taken a job at the clinic when her ruse had been revealed. Learning from the nurses helping where she could. They hadn't judged her for anything but her ability to help, her kindness with patients. She'd made many friends, including a nurse named Kellie, they were about the same age.

She spent many night shifts confiding in Kellie, about her relationship or lack thereof with Daryl. It had been Kellie who she'd tearfully begged to let her see him for even a moment when he refused to see her. It had been Kellie who she talked to daily for two weeks learning everything she could about his status. Who she gave notes to every day to read to him, who hugged her when she cried.

It had been Kellie who finally decided enough was enough.

"Enough is enough...this has to end ...he is sinking, spiralling in his own negativity. He needs to you. He's the only patient in the clinic...come by tonight, I'll let you see him." Kellie had said this very morning, when she'd stopped by the house.

She stood on the back porch of the clinic taking a few cleansing deep breaths, staring up at the moon. This had to end. No more running, no more hiding, it was time.

She entered when Kellie came to the door. "I'm going to be out front in case you need me ...don't do anything I wouldn't do." Kellie said with a grin "and that isn't much" she called out with a chuckle as she went to the front of the clinic.

The moon was all the light she needed as she made her way to his room.

She could see him lying on his side facing away from her. Still recovering from broken ribs and god only knew what else.

She came around and sat in the chair next to him, her elbows resting on her knees her head resting in her palms and watched him.

He was so peaceful, she watched his face. She wouldn't wake him if she had to wait all night, she knew better than anyone how difficult it was to sleep with broken ribs.

His eyes fluttered open a short while later. His gaze caught hers and held it. There was no surprise in finding her there, it was like he'd expected it. Like he knew she would come. The earth and the moon, both felt the others pull.

"What are you doing?" His voice was a whisper, the eerie silence of the night made it feel like a dream, the moonlight chasing all the nightmares away in her mind.

"Keeping an eye on you" she whispered back with a smile through her tears.

His face contorted in such a mask of pain, he closed his eyes as though he was willing it away. Willing it better. He opened his eyes and stared at her yet again. All of the emotion he felt there to be seen all the love. She realized with a start large tears were dripping down his face, silently.

"Don't cry" she whispered placing a kiss to his forehead.

"I'm sorry" he said on a hiccup.

"You saved me Daryl...you didn't even know it. No one else could have held on as long as you did, no one else would have done that for me" she whispered wiping his tears away. "Do you remember...in Atlanta, when I wasn't sure if I was going to heaven?" She asked

He nodded slowly reaching out to squeeze her hand. "That's bullshit...I don't care what happened with Lizzie...that ain't you.." He said forcefully.

She smiled yet again her thumb brushing along his cheek. Her own personal warrior forever guarding her spirit never guarding his own.

"When I was in that box...I wasn't scared to die. I knew I would go to heaven. I know now I'm not going to hell. You did that for me, you made me see..." She trailed off as she paused searching for the words

"You're every bit as good as them" he whispered.

She lowered her head and brushed her lips over his. He let out a slight groan or whimper at that slightest pressure. It was as though he wanted more. But was holding himself back. He pulled back pressing his forehead to hers.

"It was my fault...that they buried you.." He said gruffly his voice filled with shame "They were going to put you in a crawl space when you passed out...it was so small, I knew how scared you would be..."

"So you told them not too and they realized I was claustrophobic.." She finished with a smile.

"You know?" He asked

"Of course I know, I figured it was something like that and well Rick told me." She said "Don't be mad..he wanted me to understand why you wouldn't see me. I already did"

She smiled as she trailed her fingertips down his exposed arm and he shivered in it's wake. "No more guilt, for either of us. Someone told me once we get to start over."

"Sounds like an asshole" he muttered with a grin.

"No" she said brushing her lips against his "The best man I know...the love of my life" she finished on a whisper.

He stared at her for several momentS, his eyes intense as she threaded her fingers through his hair "I thought...I thought I must have hallucinated you telling me that, or dreamed it"

"It wasn't a dream...I needed you to know, in case it was the end..I love you..you chased away all my nightmares." She whispered.

He was silent for so long she began to wonder if he was okay but smiled in relief when he spoke, his voice cracking, barely a whisper. "I love you too"

He slid back in the bed and motioned her up. She toed off her shoes and lay down facing him. He grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers, his other hand stroking her hair as they watched each other's face as they drifted of to sleep.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxx

Rick went into the clinic in apprehension. Worried about Carol and the note she'd left "gone to see Daryl". He sighed, hoping whatever had happened hadn't been too bad. A nurse was sitting on the front desk flipping through an old magazine humming a tune under her breath. A friend of Carol's he couldn't remember her name.

"Hey Officer Handsome" the nurse said with a chuckle. "You must be looking for Carol...come on...I got something to show you." She hoped off the counter, the only sound the soft squeak if her rubber souled shoes. He noticed she had a knife in a sheath at her waist.

She lead him back towards Daryl's room. Turning before entering to place a finger to her lips and shush him. Her footsteps became light he wasn't even hearing her shoes squeak as she walked into the room and around the bed motioning for him to follow.

The sight almost brought him to tears. They were clinging to one another in sleep. Carol's head was tucked under Daryl's chin. The palm of one of her hands resting over his heart. Daryl had banded his arms around her and was holding her as though he never wanted to let her go.

It was their faces that got to him, they were so peaceful, calm. Daryl Dixon was sleeping with a smile on his face.

He looked at the nurse in shock "How?" He whispered.

"I have my ways" she said with a grin as she motioned him to the door. Turning back towards the sleeping couple she whispered one last thing before softly clicking the door.

"Sweet dreams"


End file.
